lloyd hotel, amsterdam

the concierge recommends...

"The Concierge Recommends" is a series of features including personal recommendations of expert local advisors from the great hotels of the world. This feature is Lloyd Hotel in Amsterdam, which was a former customs house re-designed by award-winning Dutch architects MVRDV in its current use as one of the most original hotels anywhere. The Lloyd's rooms vary from one to five stars, while the building incorporates the Netherlands Cultural Embassy including several art spaces, exhibitions and installations.

The hotel does not operate with a concierge, however we are fortunate to have our questions answered by co-founder Suzanne Oxenaar, a leading figure in Amsterdam's arts and cultural community who is additionally the co-founder of the city's famous Supper Club.

q: Could you give me a brief outline of how you came to be involved in the purchase, renovation and operation of The Lloyd Hotel?

a: Otto Nan who is now my companion heard that the city was looking for a new concept for this former immigrant hotel, which was a well-known location in Amsterdam . We made a plan for a 1-5 star hotel with a Cultural Embassy and we won the competition.

q: You have a diverse and interesting background. I understand you are or were involved with the Amsterdam SupperClub among other things. Could you tell me about that and your art curatorial work and other?

a: Before we started the Lloyd Hotel I worked as a curator of modern art and advisor for the Mondriaan Foundation where I was specialized in art and public space. Together with Guda Stoop and Chef Thor, former companions, we started the Supper Club. First as a restaurant without location, serving all the senses. Later we found a location.

q: The Lloyd itself has a strong connection to the arts, which is a wonderful, though rare concept. Could you explain how this came about and give some examples of the relationship between the hotel and Amsterdam's arts community - and perhaps hosting and featuring international artists well.

a: The heart of the concept for the Lloyd Hotel is about the combination of a hotel and a Cultural Embassy. In The Netherlands there was an urge for cultural internationalization. We thought a 'house' and a Cultural Embassy which gives guests the possibility to present and inform themselves would in an easy and natural way to stimulate the interaction between guests and the Dutch culture. Because the Cultural Embassy has members which are cultural institutes who send their guests to our hotel it makes it possible for the Embassy to anticipate on coming guests and the 'baggage' they bring.

q: Your hotel has a very unique concept, in a fascinating historical building re-designed by Dutch firm MVRDV, including a wide range of room types ranging from one to five stars. It is a refreshing change from the typical hotels available in many cities. How did this concept come about - and what elements of the plan are working best for you?

a: from the beginning we found it important to use the possibility of realizing this hotel to show to our guests what's going on in 'Dutch' Design. So we choose MVRDV architects on the one hand to escape from the heavy history of the building and on the other respect it and make a hotel that would survive another 100 years.

q: You hired MVRDV for the renovation well before they were the internationally recognized architects. What was it that drew you to
their work as opposed to the many other talented architects working in Holland?

a: I met MVRDV as a curator/ advisor for an art project in the building that they were starting for VPRO television. I loved the way they played with space, secrets, materials and above all I found them much more than only architects. They had a natural attitude to be open for other disciplines. And because we had this very strong building I wanted an architect that who was able to implement their own concept with respect for the existing architecture.

q: Can you tell us about your brief to the architects and how the resulting design was decided upon?

a: First question was to escape from the building (as it has such a heavy industry), then to use existing spaces, then to make a large public space including all the floors, then to make new rooms without completely destroying the existing spaces and make the architecture so that guests would not feel totally lost in the complex building.

q: What is the one thing that most people miss when visiting Amsterdam, which they absolutely should not?

cycling around before 8 am

walk or cycle around the newly developed Eastern Docklands (Cultural and architectural area)

Two restaurant recommendations (not affiliated with your hotel) with short descriptions:

(both are café-restaurants, not exclusive)

- Kantine aan 't IJ (on the other side of the water in Amsterdam-North). While you're there check out the NDSM-werf, the old shipping wharf and now creative breeding space.

- De Bazaar, in the area Pijp

Two unique/special boutiques in the city:

Droog Design (Dutch Design), Staalstraat 7b (Tuesday-Sunday 12.00 am - 6.00 pm)

Noordermarkt on Monday morning (don't forget to try out the apple pie at the corner café).

One Cafe:

Elf, on the eleventh floor of the old postal building Post CS where the modern museum is also based temporarily.

One Museum:

De Appel, modern art gallery

W139 in the basement of the old postal building Post CS (same building where Club 11 is based)

Your favourite area of Amsterdam?

Oost

What do you like to do on a day off?

Go to the beach

Your favourite park:

Westerpark

Favourite walk or bike ride:

along the IJselmeer

Something new which many people don't know about yet:

development of Amsterdam-Noord